Special Set Terminology:”Rouse 100s” = underwater kicking set. Start at 15M mark, kick underwater 15 meters to the wall, then do a smooth 50 kick, then 35 meters underwater kick back to the 15M. Only done LCM, and always done with fins. Named for backstroker Jeff Rouse."Zane Grothe" Style = no kick outs off walls. Inspired by THIS set."Claire Lockridge" = 75s done in sets of four. Sometimes pull, sometimes swim. #1 breathe 5/4/3 times by 25, #2 is 4/3/2, #3 is 3/2/1, #4 is 2/1/0. Named for THIS Arizona swimmer who always struggled to complete it (or so I was told by the Arizona swimmer who taught the set to me)."Progressive Freestyle" = 50s done in sets of four @ 1:00. Focus is on high elbow and forearm catch. #1 is fist drill, #2 is swim w/ tennis balls, #3 is swim w/ upside down paddles, #4 is regular swim OR swim w/ fingertip strapless paddles. Almost always done w/ SNKL."Lactic Hold" = Following some sort of very fast swim, a controlled set of (usually) 100s on a tight (but not threshold) interval designed to slow the flush of lactic acid from the system, as opposed to the easy swimming/floating found after each rep of a lactate set. Usually this set follows the same pattern: some speed work with resistance (parachute or buckets), followed by a push (occasionally dive) fast (PURPLE) distance of not more than 100 yards/meters, right into 3-5x100 on the tight interval to SLOWLY flush the system. Usually repeat the whole set 2-4 times.

Taste the Rainbow

WHITE(EN1)* = HR 20-23**, warm-up effortPINK (EN2) = HR 24-26***, steady effort, not uncomfortable, but obvious to yourself that you are doing work!RED (EN3) = HR 26-28, threshold pace/level with short rest. High aerobic, not quite anaerobic level. Uncomfortable. In a race, it's where my HR/feel should be midway through my 800/1000!BLUE(SP1)= HR 28-30, into the anaerobic level, basically 200 PACE effort. Also used in BEST AVG.PURPLE (SP2) = HR 30+, full anaerobic, also "ALL OUT," beyond 200 PACE. Dive set/lactate set speed. "11" on your speakers
* Including the energy system nomenclature in case anyone ever wonders about the correlation between the color/energy systems.
** HR is taken for a :10 count. I realize going six seconds makes the math easier (multiply by 10 and you have your overall HR, but I learned on 10 second counts so that is what I use).
*** A caveat here that everyone's heart rate is different. I have an extremely low resting HR so my numbers skew towards the lower end (sometimes I will totally be at PURPLE but only be at HR 29). You really have to just test yourself (and get an accurate resting HR measurement) before you can fully utilize HR training!